Five things we learned

TROY >> It’s difficult to believe, but the high school basketball season is already starting to wrap up.

The last Friday of the regular season is in the books and, as expected, the slate of games did not disappoint.

A handful of teams clinched league championships on Friday night, while other squads redirected themselves with a big-time victory right before sectionals.

Of course, with all of that winning, there had to be some teams on the losing end as well, handing them a bit of metaphorical basketball homework before the postseason begins later this week.

So as we all mentally prepare ourselves for the last regular season game of the year on Tuesday night and try to wrap our minds around the idea of sectionals beginning, what did we learn this weekend to set it all up?

Let’s review.

Big 10 Champs; again

The Albany girls basketball team clinched its fourth straight Big 10 title on Friday night, cruising to a 63-49 victory over Troy High. Cara Waterson led the way with a team-high 12 points, but the most impressive thing about the Falcons’ victory was how balanced they were. Ten different players put up points, including three players in double digits and a double-double from Mylah Chandler. Albany hasn’t really faced a true challenge yet in Section II this season with the only loss coming at the hands of state-ranked Long Island Lutheran. That being said, it will be interesting to see how the Falcons rank against an up-and-coming Catholic Central team on Tuesday night.

Bouncing Back to Fly

We’ve talked about this before, but the Bethlehem girls basketball team is incredibly talented and this week the Eagles showed why they may the sleeper in the upcoming Class AA tournament. Bethlehem posted three straight victories this week, avenging an early season loss to Averill Park on Tuesday, and out-scored opponents 184-to-142. Now, while none of these of these victories secured a Suburban Council title or a league title for the Eagles (in fact, their victory over Shen clinched the league for Shaker), all of these games just go to show that Bethlehem is back on the upswing. The Eagles have one of the best high-low offenses in the area and with the return of junior Gabby Giacone to the starting, Bethlehem is primed to make a return to the Section II championship.

A Salute to the Cadets

The La Salle basketball team has certainly had its ups and downs throughout the course of this season and, to be honest, that was expected for a team that lost its entire starting lineup from last season. But, on Friday night, the Cadets proved what a season of work and growth can do as LSI registered its biggest victory of the season, topping Big 10 rival Schenectady 61-53 in overtime. Ryan Bielawa and Brandon Holmes led the charge, combining for 28 points, including six free throws from Holmes in extra minutes. This game probably won’t spark a late-season surge from La Salle and the Cadets aren’t on the immediate path to the Section II finals, but if this is a sign of things to come from the team, then all the work this year has paid off.

The Wasaren’s Wild Ride

The Hoosick Falls basketball team did what it does best on Friday night, playing a complete team game, dropping into a defensive stand in the final seconds and grabbing a league title with a 49-47 victory over rival Hoosic Valley. Oh, and as if that weren’t enough, the Panthers’ undefeated league record is the first perfect season for the program since the 1934-35 season. That’s 79 years ago. But while the Panthers’ league dominance has been nothing short of impressive this season, and will be a huge bump for the team when sectionals begins, the entire league has been a breeding ground for talent this winter and it was all on full display this Friday. Greenwich’s Justin Carruthers racked up 21 points and 26 rebounds, Valley’s dynamic duo of Mike Pierre and John Rooney both notched 18 points and nine rebounds and Schuylerville’s Zach Pierce poured in a season-high 22 points. This isn’t big-school basketball but it’s talented basketball and we should all keep an eye on the Wasaren teams in the tournament this year.

A Little Solo Strength

All season long, we’ve talked about the balance of the Guilderland boys basketball team, the multiple scoring threats the Dutchmen present to other teams and how unselfish a squad this is. That’s all still true and it’s certainly helped Guilderland build a 15-2 record this year. But, on Friday night, Andrew Platek took a little bit of control and showed that he can take a game and make it his own. The sophomore guard, who’s averaging 16.9 points per game, blew pat that number on Friday night, knocking down a game-high 33 points as the Dutchmen topped Averill Park. Platek sank 12 from the field and drained a season-best nine three-pointers. While there were still plenty of solid contributions from his teammates, Platek was able to take center stage for really the first time all season. He showed that one player can set the temp of the game, and while the Dutchmen will still need some balance heading into sectionals, they’ll also need Platek to step up in the same way.